Owen Laughed.

Yes he did!

Owen laughed his first REAL laugh today.

He has done some little chuckles before today. But this. This was an honest to goodness, shake his fat little belly, laugh.

At his Mama.

🙂
Who needs to win the lottery?

{Owen} 10 days

Owen is 10 days old today yesterday!

I wrote this yesterday but forgot to post it…

We went to the pediatrician for his 2 week check-up (had to do it a little early since he’ll be technically 2 week on Christmas Eve). O is looking GREAT. He weighed 7lbs 8oz and is 20.8inches. Big man!!

The goal was to be back up to birth weight by 2 weeks – – which was 7lbs 4oz — so he has surpassed it. Yay Owen! Over achiever…he is so our kid.

It was such good encouragement for my heart. Breastfeeding has seemed to go SO so well thus far according to all the signs I can see (lots of poops & pee, he latches well, my boobs aren’t sore, etc) but, weight gain is the true indicator of how well things are going and you can ask Jordan…I get worried about every other day that “something is wrong” for no reason other than that I feel anxious in that moment. It is primarily rooted in the sin of wanting to be in control. My children are so especially good at bringing this to the surface of my Mama heart!! I try to be quick to tell Jordan when I start feeling anxious. It helps to speak my fears aloud, he graciously points out my sin & the error in my thinking and stops whatever he is doing to pray for me. It is such a precious expression of love. I sure am grateful to be married to my guy.

Other Owen details…at 10 days he is eating every 2.5-3 hours. Some nights he will do a 3.5-4 hour stretch, usually after his 4 o’clock feeding.

He had his first bottle this week and did super! I like to introduce the bottle within the first 3 weeks – as long as breastfeeding is well established. Then we do a bottle feeding once a day…that way Jordan can participate in feedings too (and we can do things like go on dates) AND when I go back to work Owen will eat while I’m gone! Which is kind of a big deal! I’m really a believer that (as long as breastfeeding is well established) introducing a bottle EARLY is the key to him taking a bottle easily later in life…it worked with Hudson at least!

10 11 days in to having two kids I am tired but LOVING it!!

{Birth Story} Owen Paul Stone

This is Owen Paul Stone’s birth story. I wrote it out for me – to remember – so please don’t feel obligated to read it!!

***

Also – I feel the need to say – I had an epidural with Hudson (whose birth story I’ve never posted, but I will upload it sometime soon) & a natural labor with Owen and both were absolutely precious, beautiful experiences and I am blessed to have 2 healthy, gorgeous boys. I have no regrets about either experience and I do not judge the way that you choose to labor! So please, don’t compare yourself to my experience. Every pregnancy and every labor is unique. I really wanted to labor naturally with both of my boys. One I didn’t – and it was exactly right that I didn’t – and one I did – and it was exactly right as well.

***

December 12, 2011

I hadn’t been sleeping super well because I was cramping/contracting irregularly & needing to pee often. I got up around 3:45 to go to the bathroom again & started having some bleeding {I’ll spare you the details, but it was not my mucous plug or bloody show, so I was concerned}.

 I woke Jordan up & called the on-call physician and told her what was going on (this happened to be the same physician who was on-call the night Hudson was born!). She thought everything was probably fine but said to go ahead and head to the hospital so they could check on Owen.

I called my mom to come over and stay with Hudson so we wouldn’t have to wake him up & drop him off somewhere. Jordan threw our stuff in the car & we hit the road. At this point I was still calm externally but freaking out inside over all the possible things that could be going horribly wrong to result in me bleeding. I wasn’t feeling much movement from Owen either which just added to my anxiety. I was mentally preparing myself to be rushed to the OR for an emergency C-section as soon as we checked in. Jordan held my hand, prayed over us, and got us to the hospital very quickly.

We got up to L&D and they put me on the monitor and immediately found Owen’s heartbeat – and it was 135 – such sweet relief!! We got checked in, signed paperwork, they monitored me for a while, drew some blood, and put in my IV (for my antibiotics & in case of emergency). Owen continued to look good. We hung out, Jordan read a book & I took a nap while they monitored me and we waited for my doctor – Dr G – to arrive & check me. At this point I was not in labor (pre-labor/early labor, but not active labor). I was contracting but not significantly.

Dr. G arrived around 7:30 – I was 3cm dialated and 90% effaced. He was confident that if he broke my water I would go into labor and progress fairly quickly. However, I wasn’t ready for him to break my water – for fear that I would not progress quickly, so he agreed to let me walk around for a few hours to see if I could get labor going on my own.

Jordan & I walked the halls and walked the stairs. I had contractions somewhat regularly but they were not particularly long or strong. Dr. G came back to check on me at 10:00. I was still a 3 and 90%. So, knowing that I still really didn’t want him to break my water, he said we could go home after they monitored me for 30 more minutes and that he expected us to be back and truly in labor soon.

At this point I was disappointed that I hadn’t progressed, but I wasn’t really surprised due to the nature of the contractions I’d been having. I was also super excited about the idea of leaving because I was so hungry having not eaten since dinner the night before. I was not at all in despair because I felt like I’d be in real labor before the day was over.

They put me back on the monitor at 10:15. Well…while I sat waiting for 30 minutes to pass and trying to decide what I wanted to eat I started having really regular & much stronger contractions. My nurse Brandy (who was AMAZING) came in and expressed some concern with the idea of us leaving, she felt like my labor was really starting and that I would progress quickly and we might not make it back to the hospital before I delivered OR that if we did make it back the process of checking in all over again and getting a whole new IV would be really hard on me. I acknowledged that these were more “real” contractions…but I still really wanted to leave and go eat. We decided to have Brandy check me and see if my cervix had changed. I was now a “stretchy” 4cm (which means somewhere between a 4-5cm). So, we decided it would be wisest to stay at the hospital. Brandy updated Dr. G and he agreed.

The morning had been such a roller coaster of emotions for us…we left the house not knowing whether Owen was okay or not, whether I was in labor or not, whether we’d been meeting Owen today or coming home to wait more…then after seeing Garner the first time, we were all geared up for labor to start…then it seemed to not, and we relaxed and were ready to leave and wait some more at home…and now I was truly in labor! So we were back in “go” mode.

We walked the halls again. This time my contractions were much more frequent and much stronger. I was having to stop and breathe and focus to relax through them. I would lean on the wall or the windowsill or Jordan. It was really helpful when Jordan used counter pressure on my lower back during a contraction. In between contractions we held hands and walked and talked about how excited we were to meet our little boy soon. It was a really sweet & exciting time. My contractions took focus but they were very manageable and I felt very confident in handling them.

After a little while we went back to the room so that Brandy could put me on the monitor and check on Owen. I sat on the birth ball for a while and leaned my head on the bed…I napped in between contractions. Jordan rubbed my back & continued to encourage me through each contraction. I also sat in the bed for a while, we adjusted it to be like a chair…straight-backed and the part where my legs were lowered. Both of those positions were really comfortable.

Dr. G came back to check on me at 12:15. I was 6-7cm!! I was surprised I had progressed so quickly! I agreed that he could break my water at this point. My contractions continued to get stronger, as expected, after my water was broken. At 12:30 I got in a hot shower which felt wonderful! I was really feeling the brunt of the contractions in my lower back and the water felt so good. Back labor is a good indicator that baby’s head is not in perfect position. After I got out Brandy helped me into a kind of crazy side-lying position in the bed that can help move the baby into a better position. My contractions were getting pretty intense at this point. I labored on my hands & knees for a long time, this helped relief a little of the pain I was feeling in my back.

At 1:35 I was measuring 9cm and working hard to stay focused during my contractions. In between I would try and rest but it was more and more difficult to stay “in the zone”. I asked if there was anything I could have in my IV. Brandy gave me a dose of Demerol which she said would help me relax…it definitely did! I was surprised how sleepy it made me…but it really helped me tune everything else out and rest between contractions, Jordan says I was pretty out of it between contractions. I remember hearing things that were going on around me but not really acknowledging them. My contractions were super intense and I didn’t think there was any way I could keep going. Jordan kept telling me that it was one less to work through, that I was doing great, that he loved me, and that we’d be meeting Owen soon. There is absolutely NO way I could have made it without Jordan. He never left my side & was my biggest comfort.

Brandy checked me again and I was still at 9cm. At this point I pretty much gave up, cried, and begged for an epidural because it was so hard (even though rationally in my brain I knew there was no way they could get my epidural in before I delivered…I still begged). At 1:55 I felt what all the books described as, “a burning ring of fire” and I knew it was time to push. This is the moment just after Brandy ran out to use the bathroom. I told Jordan, “I have to push…He has to be crowning…He is coming out! NOW.” He paged the nurses and they called Dr G (who had to run up from his office 3 floors down) and a whole bunch of people came in the room…but I don’t remember any of that. I remember Dr G running in the room and putting his gown & gloves on and asking me to hold off pushing for just a sec, but there was no way that I could wait. My body had instinctively taken over and there was such relief with pushing. Dr. G did however make it in time to catch our boy.

Owen Paul Stone was born at 2:04p.m.  7lbs4oz and absolutely perfect!!

There had been some meconium in my amniotic fluid so the nurse took him over to the warmer and suctioned him before bringing him back to me. He snuggled into me as soon as they handed him to me. He was wide-eyed and altert, he latched on and started nursing right away.

I am so thankful that I was able to labor naturally – it was one of the hardest things I have ever done and I am proud to have accomplished it by His grace – not “proud” in the sense that I am now a super mom for having a baby with no epidural (I am not!). But I am proud because it was my goal and I accomplished it. It hard, it took me to the end of myself, it brought my closer to my husband, it required endurance & perseverance, it required a new kind of reliance on the Lord – the One who makes all things & holds all things together. Glory & praise be to Him for it is only by His strength that I even draw breath.

May this little life, Owen Paul Stone, and our parenting of him glorify & magnify His name to the ends of the earth.

***

I was so exhausted & hungry // it was so chaotic with all of our family in the room that I didn’t get a picture of us as a family of 4 at the hospital! Ugh. It is a huge regret.

39 weeks

How Far Along: 39 weeks

Fruit/Veggie: A mini watermelon

Size: 7-something pounds and 19-ish inches

Baby changes: He is pretty much ready to come out! His lungs will continue to mature and he will continue to gain fat until I deliver.

Best Moment this week: I love Providence Church.  I was so blessed to worship with the body of Christ today, to sit under fantastic teaching, and be part of sweet community. Seriously. We are so thankful to be part of the staff/body there. Also, I’ve had some really sweet time enjoying my firstborn and our last few days of just us.

Gender: Boy. {Owen Paul Stone}

Movement: He is still a sweet, calm, rolly little guy – though I can tell he is feeling a little squished!

Food Craving: Um. I don’t think I have really had any cravings lately…

Sleep: I have been sleeping SO hard this week. So hard that I’ve hardly even woken up to go to the bathroom, which means when I DO wake up I have really got to go. So hard that my hips kill in the morning because I don’t wake up and roll over. That is the sign of good sleep at the end of pregnancy – a bursting bladder and sore hips – it has been a sweet gift before the short nights to come soon!

Symptoms: Still lots of pre-labor symptoms. Lots of low belly cramping. A few good contractions every day. Hoping it will all equal a labor that moves along easily and speedily!! 🙂 People as all the time how I am feeling and I have to say, I never expected to feel as good as I do! Honestly. I feel a little bad that I feel so good because I know a lot of girls feel terrible at the end…but I am super thankful! I know it is just the graciousness of the Lord. It also makes me think Owen won’t be coming out any time terribly soon…hopefully he won’t have to be evicted!

What I am looking forward to: Continuing to enjoy my time with only Hudson before his brother shows up! We’ve had some fun Mama & Hud dates lately. I am trying to soak in every moment of being Mama to only one as it is all about to change!

My belly: No pic today…I’ll try and get one uploaded tomorrow. I am still sharing Jordan’s computer as mine remains kaput.

 

37 weeks

How Far Along: 37 weeks last Saturday (officially considered full term)

Fruit/Veggie: A stalk of swiss chard

Size: 6 and 1/3 lbs, somewhere around 19 inches long.

Baby changes: His lungs & brain continue to mature & he is working on becoming a chunky monkey.

Best Moment this week: We had a really good rain the other night…that was pretty wonderful. We had some sweet friends over last night for dinner & Bananagrams (my new favorite game).

Coming in at first place for the worst moment this week: my computer DIED…the really sad part is I hadn’t backed my stuff up to an external hard-drive (I know. I know. Believe me…I KNOW. So don’t tell me what I should have done or I told you so. I am already pretty crushed).

I am begging the Lord that the data recovery people will be able to pull my files off…otherwise Hudson’s first year of life in pictures/videos is gone…and I will really be devastated. I don’t even want to talk about it. Let’s just pray they can get them off…ok?

Gender: Boy. {Owen Paul Stone}

Movement: He still likes to stick his feet in my ribs. His little body parts are much more noticeable on the outside of my belly as he rolls around.

Food Craving: Turkey club sandwich from Shlotsky’s. I had it for lunch today actually…mmm…so good.

Sleep: So so. For being almost 38 weeks preggo, it could be worse.

Symptoms: I’ve been having some off & on pre-labor-ish symptoms, hopefully my body is gearing up to birth this little guy sometime soon! By “sometime soon” I mean in the next 3 weeks 🙂 I’m still anticipating going past my due date.

What I am looking forward to: Thanksgiving is tomorrow! (seriously? where did 2011 go??)

My belly: I took this with my phone. Which is old. And not at all fancy. So you might have to squint.

36 weeks

How Far Along: 36 weeks

Fruit/Veggie: A crenshaw melon. Again with the weird produce…apparently a crenshaw melon is a teardrop shaped hybrid cross between a Casaba melon & a Persian melon (which are both native to Iran & Turkey).

Size: Weight: Almost 6 lbs. Length: A little over 18.5 inches. (Both are per BabyCenter averages).

Baby changes: Gaining fat & filling out…could be gaining as much as an ounce/day from here on out.

Best Moment this week: We had SO much fun seeing friends in OK last week. Also, this past weekend some sweet friends threw us a baby shower. It was such a fun, special time to celebrate this little boy who we are about to meet & pray over him.

Gender: Boy. {Owen Paul Stone}

Movement: Nothing really new to report. I am at the stage where we can still and watch him roll around in my belly, it is so entertaining. He likes to stick his booty out on the right side, which makes me look really lopsided. Silly boy 🙂

Food Craving: Spinach mashed potatoes. I kind of made up one day when I was cleaning out the fridge and it was a hit with all of us. They are so yum and a great way to eat LOTS of greens. I’ll share the recipe soon.

Sleep: Not bad. I’ve woken up a little sore the last few mornings from sleeping so hard and forgetting to roll over. Its kind of a nice feeling.

Symptoms: My chiropractor is amazing and has really made SUCH a difference in the lower back pain that I was experiencing! I’ve started getting heartburn if I eat too much, or sometimes just because. My ankles disappear for about 3 days after I work at the hospital 🙂 It seriously takes like 72 hours for the cankles to go away. Otherwise I am still feeling really good!

What I am looking forward to: He is coming out soon 🙂 I am so excited to meet our little man!

My belly: I didn’t take a 36 week picture. Oops. I’ll take on this weekend at 37 weeks. Guess you’ll just have to wait it out.

35 weeks

 

How Far Along: 35 weeks

Fruit/Veggie: A honeydew melon

Size: Weight: About 5 & 1/4lbs. Length: A little over 18 inches. (Both are per BabyCenter averages).

Baby changes: Gaining fat & filling out. Kidneys are fully developed and liver is beginning to process some waste products.

Best Moment this week: Oh my goodness! My parents are the best!

My dad has been working on the boys room this week, putting up board & batten – it is looking SO good! Can’t wait to show you when it is all done. My mom came over too and has been my absolute biggest hero helping me deep clean the WHOLE house. I’m talking ceiling fans, blinds, base boards, kitchen cabinets, my stove…it is all amazingly clean…I’ve totally been feeling the “nesting” urge and I am now feeling much more ready to have this baby {though not quite yet 🙂 I have a few more projects to tackle}.

Gender: Boy. {Owen Paul Stone}

Movement: I can tell he is feeling a little cramped these days, sweet little rolly guy.

Food Craving: Ice. Clementine oranges. Blueberry bagel with cream cheese.

Sleep: Pretty good.

Symptoms: Nothing new. I went to a chiropractor on Thursday and will be seeing her through the end of this pregnancy, hoping it will help with the lower back pain & with delivery. I worked at the hospital last night and came home with some serious cankles. Gross. That is my least favorite part of pregnancy. Well…that and constipation. Yep. Probably my two least favorites…TMI?

What I am looking forward to: Hudson and I are talking a road trip to OK to visit some of my bestest girlfriends & their babies. Super excited to see them!

My belly: Here I am at 35 weeks…

34 weeks

How Far Along: 34 weeks. I’m having this baby in less than two months…what the what?! I better get a move on the boys room! I’ve done…zero so far.

Fruit/Veggie: A cantaloupe.

Size: Weight: About 4 & 3/4lbs. Length: About 18 inches. (Both are per BabyCenter averages).

Baby changes: Gaining fat & filling out. Central nervous system and lungs continuing to mature.

Best Moment this week: Um, NOT game 7 of the World Series. {sigh} Going to the pumpkin patch with Hud was SUPER fun tho!

Gender: Boy. {Owen Paul Stone}

Movement: He is still pretty predictable. He is still rolls and pushes around. He still moves a lot more at night than during the day but he doesn’t really wake me up. He is still way up high and loving my ribs but I’m okay with it…I’m pretty sure way up high in my ribs is way more comfortable than way down low smack on top of my cervix.

Food Craving: Ice. Clementines. Sausage biscuit with grape jelly (which by the way McDonalds would NOT give me when I pulled into the drive through at 10:40. Seriously? 10 minutes past the breakfast cut off and you threw ALL the sausage and biscuits away?? I find it hard to believe. I just about cried…You can ask Jordan.)

Sleep: Eh. For 34 weeks I think I sleep pretty well.

Symptoms: My lower back/SI joints have been aching again off and on.

What I am looking forward to: My hubby is preaching this morning, I love getting to sit under his teaching! (I wrote this before going to church obviously…Jordan did an excellent job…I’ll post the podcast when it is up.) 

My belly: Ok people. Here you go. My big 34 week belly…

32 & 33 weeks

How Far Along: 32 weeks (was 32 weeks on oct 15)

Fruit/Veggie: A large jicama (if you’ve never tried jicama you should! peel it, cut it up, and eat it raw…it is a little sweet & crunchy and a very yummy addition to a veggie tray)

Size: Weight: Owen was measuring about 4lbs 3oz at our sono last Friday, which is pretty average per Dr. G, though it sounds a little big to me. It is a pretty rough guess via sono at this point though. Length: I don’t know what he was actually measuring on the sono, my BabyCenter email says 16.7 inches.

Baby changes: He has hair & nails & is working on getting fat 🙂 Baby’s gain 1/3-1/2 of their birth weigh from now until delivery.

Best Moment this week: Our sonogram on Friday. It was SO fun to get to see our sweet little man!!! He looks just like his brother.

Gender: Boy. {Owen Paul Stone}

Movement: He is still a rolly polly little guy, definitely more and more noticeable as he gets bigger. He is head down (getting ready!!) and definitely prefers to stay on my right side with his little feet under my ribs.

Food Craving: I’ve been craving ice lately, which I didn’t think was too strange but apparently it can be indicative of anemia (low iron). Most preggos are anemic because so much more iron is required due to the extra blood volume especially in the third trimester…but I’m going to increase my intake of iron rich/vita C rich foods between now and my next appointment and see if it helps. I’d prefer to avoid an iron supplement if possible because they can cause some tummy upset and constipation and I don’t need any help being constipated with a 4 lb human sitting on my gut + pregnancy hormones. Is that TMI? 🙂

Sleep: Eh. Not awesome but could be worse.

Symptoms: Nothing really new.

What I am looking forward to: We have a cold front coming in this week!

How Far Along: 33 weeks (as of last saturday, oct 22)

Fruit/Veggie: A pineapple

Size: Weight: 4+lbs Length: 17+inches

Baby changes: His skeleton is hardening, he is continuing to fill out, become less wrinkle-y, & gain some chubs 🙂 All his senses are present – he can hear, smell, taste, feel, see (his pupils constrict & dilate in response to light).

Best Moment this week: We had a fun weekend spending time with friends. Saturday night we had home group “girls night” and Sunday night we went to “Ghouls on the Lawn”, which is a big halloween festival in our friend’s neighborhood, and had a great time hanging out & then watching the Rangers.

Gender: Boy. {Owen Paul Stone}

Movement: Nothing really new to report. He is still very high and occasionally protesting the fact that he is running out of room to stretch out 🙂

Food Craving: Still craving ice, clementine oranges (I could eat a whole 2lb bag in one day, I love them so much!), grapes (purple), diet cherry vanilla dr. pepper from sonic, aaaaaand…the colonel chicken salad with honey mustard dressing from cotton patch…which my sweet sister-in-law brought me for lunch this weekend 🙂 So yum!

Sleep: Sleep is not great. We’ve had lots of FUN but late nights recently due mostly to the world series and hanging out with friends and (a) I can’t stay up like I used to. Period. (b) The shorter night is interrupted by multiple trips to the potty. (c) Small children named Hudson do not come with a snooze button and 7:30 feels really early some mornings!

Symptoms: My eye(s) have been twitching, it happens when I am tired. I’m still short of breath fairly often due to the small person living right under my diaphragm. I’m a little more achy as my body continues to loosen up and get ready for labor (but my hubs gives great massages!). I’m getting really excited to labor with and birth this sweet boy in less than 2 months (excitement counts as a symptom, right?!)

What I am looking forward to: We are going to the pumpkin patch tomorrow!

Belly: I promise to post one soon. Tomorrow soon. I know its been a while…but today has been far too exhausting to go find my camera and snap a pic and upload it…

31 weeks

How Far Along: 31 weeks

Fruit/Veggie: 4 navel oranges…why they chose 4 of something instead of 1 heavier item I do not know…

Size: Weight: about 3.3lbs. Length: 16+ inches

Baby changes: He is getting ready for a growth spurt…time to start plumping up before coming out.

Best Moment this week: We had a real long week around here. Hudson had a really bad cold – I thought it might be RSV, but thankfully it wasn’t – so we’ve pretty much been cooped up in the house since last Wednesday. I got out and ran some errands when Jordan got home from work on Friday to combat the cabin fever…I did some Christmas decoration shopping at Hobby Lobby, that was probably the highlight of my week.

Gender: Sweet baby boy. {Owen Paul Stone}

Movement: He is very active at night…in fact, I had a really hard time going to sleep last night because he was moving so much…but I don’t really mind. This morning when I woke up Jordan had his hands on my belly and was like, “are you feeling this? he is going crazy!” 🙂 Though, Owen’s version of “crazy” is “roll-y” not “kick-y” like Hud. It’s funny how they move so differently!

Food Craving: I got my chips & salsa this week … and it was so good!

Sleep: Eh. For 31 weeks I think I’m sleeping pretty well!

Symptoms: All the same. Occasional Braxton Hicks. I pee about 49 bazillion times every day. I think our toilet paper consumption has doubled. Otherwise I still feel really good!

What I am looking forward to: We go see Dr G on Friday and I have a sono scheduled – hooray! Hopefully we’ll get a pretty good look at this little boy!

Belly pic: I’ll get one eventually